This blog on Texas education contains posts on accountability, testing, college readiness, dropouts, bilingual education, immigration, school finance, race, class, and gender issues with additional focus at the national level.

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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Continue reading this commentary by a former teacher on the harms of testing. This is a term that Dr. Valenzuela has used for nearly a decade and is supported by research by her and others. This research was also what led to the removal of high-stakes testing for third graders in Texas and the state's transition to the use of multiple criteria. The next step is to extend this same consideration to 5th and 8th graders. There is hope and change IS being made here in Texas.

-Patricia

By Renee Moore | Teacher Magazine
June 2, 2010

I’ve been part of a group of determined teachers from around the nation working to engage in direct discussions with the Obama administration about its blueprint for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (known for the past decade as No Child Left Behind). Some of us thought it might be a good time to write about issues related to the Blueprint, and why we think seeking the expertise of successful teachers might help lawmakers develop better policies.

One of the first points identified by teachers as a problem is that the proposed plan continues to place an emphasis on high-stakes accountability through standardized test scores. What's wrong with a big focus on test scores? Don't we need to know how students are performing?